Banarasi Paratha

Running a paratha shop near Varuna Bridge keeps us on our toes all day. The Nadesar Road area is always packed, especially near the crossing. We start early, around six in the morning, getting the dough ready and chopping up stuff for the fillings. It’s a simple setup we’ve got here in Varanasi. Nothing too stylish. We have a couple of large tawas that never really cool down until we close at night. My brother and I handle most of the cooking while a younger boy helps with the serving and cleaning the tables. It gets quite hot in the kitchen, especially during the summer months, but you get used to it after a few years. People stop by on their way to work or when they’re just wandering around the bridge area. We try to keep the prices fair so everyone can grab a bite without thinking too much about it. Sometimes we run out of certain stuff by evening if it's been a busy day. The traffic outside can be a bit of a headache when the trucks start moving, but that’s just how it is living near the main road. We don’t have a big menu, just the basic parathas and some tea. It’s a lot of standing around and flipping bread, but it pays the bills and we know most of our neighbors who come in daily for their usual order.